Reciprocation
by DreamBrother
Summary: Or in other words, how I got my groove back. Charlie receives a phone call while at the airport.


**Disclaimer:**It's not like I'm being paid for this. However, just to make things clear to the unknown authority, Numb3rs isn't mine.

**Author's Note:**A shortie, because my brothers are crazy and also, I needed to make sure all my writing skills aren't being monopolized by History. I need to get my groove back before I delve into an amnesiac Don or an Irish Big Bad. Thank you to Shaolingrrl for the nudge.

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**Reciprocation**

As Charlie's phone began to ring, he was faced with a dilemma, with only two solutions in sight: Either quickly put down the cup of coffee and risk it sloshing over, and so, have another 20 minute wait in line for another, or second, put down the shoulder bag and risk damage to the laptop it held. With the phone nearing its final ring before it went to voice mail, which Charlie still hadn't figured out how to access properly, the shoulder bag lost out and with a clunk acting as background noise, Charlie answered the phone with a breathless:

"Hello?"

"Decided to forego the plane and run all the way to New Jersey, buddy?" came his brother's amused voice from the other end.

Plopping down into the seat next to discarded shoulder bag, Charlie winced as he tried to think of how much damage the laptop must have suffered. Oh well. He wasn't a tenured professor who consulted for a number of government agencies for nothing. And it was high time to upgrade to a newer model in any case, thought Charlie.

"Yeah, because I need the extra money to buy you an extra special birthday present, right?" asked Charlie.

"That's my boy," replied Don jubilantly. "And that's on top of a really nice souvenir from your trip."

"Somebody's in a good mood," noted Charlie. "And hey, I'm going to another state, not another country."

"No worries," dismissed Don. "Where are you? Gotten past security?"

"Yeah, just got to the lounge after grabbing some coffee. You know, if it wasn't for the fact that I'm addicted to the stuff myself, I would really worry about the amount we Americans tend to drink."

"You try to restrict my intake, they'll never find your body," threatened Don. "Besides, we've got the rest of the world hooked onto it as well. If we can pry the Brits off their cups of tea, you know coffee isn't a bad thing."

"You're in denial, Don," chided Charlie.

"You mean the river in Egypt? I'm actually quite dry, thanks."

Charlie laughed incredulously. "Man, what is up with you? Are David and Colby spiking your coffee?"

"If they are, maybe I should recommend them for a commendation," retorted Don. "Nah, just caught a guy we've been after for some time now, you're going to the other side of the country. What's not to be happy about?"

"You are going to pay for that remark when I get back next week," warned Charlie.

"Bring it on, brother," replied Don. "But remember, I'm armed."

"And I've got the irresistible combination of curls and charm which trumps your hunk of junk any day of the week."

"Be sure to repeat that when an assassin comes after you, yeah?" suggested Don.

Charlie was saved the trouble of replying when a baby's wail filled the air. Turning around he saw a young mother sitting behind him trying to shush a child who could not have been more than a year old, not that Charlie had much experience in judging the ages of infants. He was thinking about relocating when he heard his brother say something:

"To think that is what Dad hopes our futures hold," sighed Don.

"Maybe it's a veiled attempt to avenge us for how we tortured him when we were kids," suggested Charlie, as he wondered which item to move first, seeing as how he only had one free hand: The laptop containing bag, or the cup of coffee? Again, the laptop lost out. If it got stolen while his back was turned, all the more reason to upgrade to a newer model.

"Hey, don't point the finger at me, I was a perfect baby. You, on the other hand, would not shut up. Still don't, actually."

"Ouch. The spiked beverage must be wearing off," said Charlie good naturedly.

"Aww, I'm sorry," said Don, although he didn't sound very apologetic. "Let me make it up to you. Still sitting in the lounge?"

Although a bit confused by the sudden change in topics, Charlie decided to humour his brother:

"Yes."

"Lots of people around you?"

"A bit more than my liking, yes."

"I love you bro!" said Don suddenly, loud enough that Charlie had to hold the phone away from his ear, and then stared at it in surprise.

"What?"

"I love you!" said Don again, even louder. Charlie was thrown off track by this sudden declaration of affection which, try as he might, he couldn't find a repeat of. Suddenly, something clicked in his mind as he remembered his brother's earlier questions.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" Charlie replied.

"Ouch, now _that_ hurts. Here I am, opening up and revealing my feelings to my one and only brother, and you call me an idiot. You can make it up to me by saying it back, nice and loud," suggested Don.

"How about no?" said Charlie.

"Are you saying the feeling is not mutual?" growled his brother.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Charlie quickly looked around him to see if anybody was openly eavesdropping, and whispered into the phone:

"Fine, I love you"

"What was that, buddy? Didn't quite catch that."

"Liar. You heard it just fine."

"No, seriously, guns firing all around you can temporarily damage your hearing. Humour your deafened brother."

"I love you," said Charlie a little louder.

"What?" said Don again, louder than Charlie had just been.

"I LOVE YOU!" said Charlie again, only with a lot more volume than he intended. Looking around self-consciously, he saw that many people around him were hiding smirks and wouldn't you know it, the baby had shut up. But perhaps most insufferable of all was the wicked tone to Don's laughter at the other end of the line.

"Now there's the brother I know and love," said Don. Faintly, Charlie heard someone calling his brother's name on the other end which led to Don adding, "Anyway, as much as I would love to listen to your declarations of affection a bit more, I gotta run. Call me when you land, and have a safe flight yeah?"

Charlie, who had ducked his head and was now rubbing his forehead, replied: "Fine, fine. Keep your head down, yeah?"

"That might not actually be a bad idea. I think Megan's gearing up to throw things; Time for some crisis control. See you next week." And with that, Don had hung up.

Charlie slipped the cell-phone into his jacket pocket and began pulling his shoulder bag towards him to check on the damage suffered by his poor laptop. Shaking his head in a mixture of exasperation and affection, he muttered:

"Idiot"

**Khatum (The End)**

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And there you have it. Hope the brother weren't too out of character. The next chapter of Are You Now.. should be up this week, I'm procrastinating horribly with it. And Calum from 'I Am Legend' has decided to stick around a littl longer. But History ends on Wednesday, so I should be liberated then..

Hope you liked this night's craziness. Night night!


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